ISLAMABAD, July 1: President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz at a meeting held at the president’s camp office in Rawalpindi on Friday reiterated their commitment to ensure that local bodies elections would be held in a free, fair and transparent manner. It was stated at the meeting that the government would provide level playing field to all candidates.

They also discussed the federal cabinet’s decision of forming a cabinet sub-committee headed by the prime minister to monitor the performance and consider accountability of the heads of outgoing local councils. The issue was discussed in the light of President Musharraf’s response to an e-mail that the best accountability was held by voters who could oust any nazim if they found them guilty of committing irregularities, embezzlement and mal-administration.

Mr Aziz briefed the president on the draft anti-money laundering bill that was approved by the federal cabinet on Wednesday to curb the menace of dirty money. He also informed the president about a law aimed at combating land-grabbing.

He said that the illegal disposition act 2005 had already been approved by parliament which would help check land-grabbing. He also informed the president about government’s planned automation of land revenue records which would check bunglings in land transactions.

Under the illegal disposition act, he said, no one would be able to grab the land of poor people and any victim of land mafia would be able to approach sessions judge and the judge would be required to conduct an inquiry within 14 days. He would be authorized to issue repossession orders.

The president and the prime minister discussed at length the Khushal Pakistan programme to be launched in the current financial year with emphasis on health, education and social sectors.

They also considered measures for providing clean drinking water to the entire population and the rural electrification programme to be completed within three years.

The president appreciated the measures being taken by the government against money laundering and the land mafia and said those would be beneficial for the people.